


My Own Path Home

by bornfromanxietea



Series: Before I Leave You [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Awkward Tension, Best Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, Friendship/Love, M/M, POV Alternating, Platonic Soulmates, Sequel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29732580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bornfromanxietea/pseuds/bornfromanxietea
Summary: After three years, Sasuke and Naruto find their way back to each other. Sasuke notices that Naruto is not exactly how he remembers him, but the same can also be said about Sasuke.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Before I Leave You [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185143
Kudos: 6





	1. Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This is the sequel to Before I Leave You, which is a one-shot that I wrote without any idea that anyone would even read it. Many of you asked for a reunion, so here it is! I decided to do this one in a few chapters because I wanted to portray their story in a different way. So be patient with me as it gets released! ;_; I hope you enjoy reading this as much as the first one. Much love!
> 
> PSA: Read Part 1 of Before I Leave You if you haven't already! It's essential to the story :)

* * *

Sasuke rubbed his eyes, sleep threatening to take over his tiny frame, as he trekked along the empty street. It was unusual for the boy to be left alone. The night air was unusually cold. He used both hands to pull his coat closer to his chest, savoring the little warmth left in his body. The road was dark, and the only thing illuminating him was the sizable moon overhead. 

Sasuke approached the police headquarters only to be stopped by a locked front entrance. He sighed, and turned around, determined to make entry. Sasuke rounded the corner to the back of the building and stopped in his tracks when he saw a figure in the middle of the alleyway. 

“Big brother?” Sasuke asked with a yawn escaping from his mouth. He eyed the elder boy, his black collar concealing the details of the lower half of his face, his expression stoic in the darkness. Sasuke could see a strange metal object protruding from between his brother’s thumb and forefinger. He returns his weary gaze back to his brother’s face as he turns his head to acknowledge his presence.

“Sasuke,” Itachi speaks flatly. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t find you or Mama or Papa,” Sasuke explains. “Have you seen them?”

Itachi didn’t respond to his little brother’s question, he only directed his attention back to the closed back door of the building. He opened the metal object within his hands and used his thumb to generate a light that Sasuke thought was so mesmerizing. Sasuke took a few steps closer to his brother, entranced by the flame flickering in the night. Itachi snapped his head to the child, burning his sharp gaze into Sasuke’s innocent eyes. 

“You shouldn’t have come here, Sasuke.” Something in Itachi’s eyes changed at that moment. Sasuke couldn’t tell what it was. But he could have sworn that his brother’s eyes flashed a shade of red, so dark and so frightening, that the hairs on every inch of his body stood up straight. Sasuke was stopped in his tracks and swallowed by an endless void, an emptiness that he never saw in his brother before. It was like Itachi was drowning and pulling Sasuke down with him, gripping onto his ankles like an anchor in a sea of crimson. 

“It’s your fault, Sasuke.” 

Itachi releases the flame from his grip and the light falls through the air in slow motion. Sasuke could only watch as the ground lights up in a flowing river of fire, leading towards the building in front of him. The walls are set ablaze almost instantly, leaving Sasuke and his older brother to bask in the heat radiating from the source. Sasuke couldn’t feel the cool night air on his pale skin any longer. He couldn’t hear his brother’s maniacal laughter from beside him, or the panicked screams from the other side of the door, or the loud banging on the walls. Sasuke was numb, while he allowed his mind and soul to be consumed by the flames. 

Sasuke awoke with a start, grasping onto his chest tightly to catch his breath. He was covered in sweat, his pillow cool underneath his raven hair, a matted mess atop his head. He uses both elbows to push himself up, resurfacing from his now fading nightmare and back into reality.

These dreams weren’t foreign to Sasuke. He was used to the torture of reliving his childhood trauma almost every night, back when he was younger. It had gotten more and more impossible to discern reality from the figments of his imagination. The dreams only persisted until Itachi disappeared all those years ago, and Sasuke was able to heal. He had come to accept whatever truth he believed to have happened as a fact, and not associate it with guilt. Yet with the constant reminder of the pain of losing his entire family now living with him, it’s something that Sasuke knows he will never forget.

It has been three years since Sasuke departed from Konoha with his brother. He spends his days in the office and in meetings with the other major powers of the world, training as Itachi’s underling. 

It irked Sasuke to take orders from his brother. He could only see his sadistic grin with every order, gaining pleasure from watching others suffer. That look is not far off from the one he remembers his brother wore on that day. Only back then, he was less  _ broken _ . He knows that Itachi has his own demons, which eases some of the tension Sasuke feels to even share the same space with his brother. They are both damaged individuals, Sasuke knows this. They both feel that they don’t belong, that they no longer bring value to the world the way that they are, and that they don’t deserve to seek the pleasures that the world can offer. The only difference between them is that Sasuke isn’t broken yet. Once you’ve shattered completely, your soul mutilated to the point beyond repair, all the pent-up anger and aching must be released somewhere. And Itachi’s outlet is through his newfound power as a leader. However, Sasuke knows where to draw the line. The system is corrupt, and he won’t take any part in further tainting it.

Sasuke climbs out of bed and positions himself on the floor, starting his work out. Every day he sets a new challenge for himself. Without music to tie him down, Sasuke was losing himself to the world of corporate business. To negotiations and money and reputations, all things that Sasuke didn’t care enough about to devote his whole life to it. He had a goal. To get as far away from his brother as possible. And he had to get stronger to do that. His physical strength was from the exercise, that’s true. But for Sasuke, the routine is what protects his sanity, when every passing day he has to look his own personal demon in the eyes and pretend like he is okay.

He stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. He has bulked up quite a bit in the past three years. The muscles in his arms are more defined, and his veins slightly bulging from underneath his skin. His abdominal muscles are toned, and his chest firm. Sasuke didn’t particularly care about his looks, but it felt good to be in shape. He hopped in the shower to get ready for the day.

Sasuke buttoned up his white shirt and put on his suit, fixing the black tie around his neck. It was uncomfortable for him to be in this attire, one of the many obligations for work. He grabbed his briefcase and headed to the office.

Itachi was already waiting for Sasuke when he arrived, with his feet up on the desk and a beer in his hand. Sasuke could feel his jaw tighten just from being in his brother’s presence.

“Sasuke,” Itachi began, voice unusually professional. “Let’s get down to business.”

Sasuke moved to sit in the chair across from him, clumsily fitting his hands into his pockets due to the unfamiliarity of his brother’s atmosphere. His body language and tone of voice juxtaposed each other, bringing Sasuke into a mild state of confusion.

“It’s been a while since you’ve started working for me,” Itachi continued. Itachi brings his feet back onto the ground and leans forward over his desk, lacing his fingers together. “Tell me, do you not want to be here?”

“What?” Sasuke almost laughed at the question. “I’m here because of you.”

“It’s been three years, Sasuke,” Itachi responds, uninterested. “You haven’t done anything of importance but be my errand boy. I brought you here so that you could do something to strengthen the Uchiha name. You’re worthless.”

Sasuke couldn’t form the words to reply. What has he been doing all this time? Trapped in another village, doing work that he was never interested in. Sasuke tried to come up with an excuse for why he didn’t leave, for why he  _ couldn’t _ leave. But no answers came to mind. Why didn’t he return to Konoha sooner? What was he afraid of?

“What are you trying to say, Itachi?” Sasuke hissed, impatiently.

“I’m not stupid. I know you’re unhappy here,” Itachi explains. “You aren’t fooling anyone. I need to know what the problem is so I can fix it.” Sasuke adjusted his posture in his seat. The  _ problem _ ? It took everything in Sasuke not to lash out and admit that his brother  _ was _ the problem. 

“Is this some kind of a joke?” Sasuke asks, his blood boiling and his voice rising. “I sacrificed everything to be here. Of course, I am fucking unhappy.” He hadn’t been  _ truly _ happy in years. “What is wrong with you?”

“Listen,” Itachi begins. “I know we don’t have the best relationship, but you’re still my little brother. Is it so hard to believe that I just want what’s best for you?” he says with a smirk.

“Stop with your bullshit,” Sasuke scoffs, his voice cutting through the air. “Cut to the chase.”

“I don’t need you here,” his brother says with a wave of his hand. “Just go home. I don’t know why you even stayed so long anyway.”

“I couldn’t abandon my duties as an Uchiha,” Sasuke states, quick on his feet. It was the only answer he could come up with to make the situation any better. The only answer that he could use to justify his absence from his home and soothe his own mind.

Itachi looks at his brother for a second before resting his head in his hands. His voice was softer when he spoke.

“You’re twenty-two now,” Itachi starts, giving Sasuke a slight smile. “Maybe it’s time for you to settle down. Find a permanent home to live in. Find a nice girl.”

What is he talking about? Since when has he ever cared about this stuff?

“I know how many bad memories are stuck in that house, so I’m giving you some money to get started elsewhere.” Itachi slips Sasuke a folded yellow envelope across the desk, thick with its contents. “And try and start a family of your own. The Uchiha need to repopulate at some point,” Itachi says with a wink.

Of course, there was a catch to his brother’s faux sincerity. Business always came first to him, never Sasuke’s well-being. It’s always either giving orders or following orders. There is no free will in this life. He’s known that since they were children. Since that day. Sasuke shakes the intruding thought from his mind. But maybe Itachi was right. He is getting older, and he does have the clan to think about. But what woman would ever want to be with him anyway? Sasuke had never been one to hang around women, let alone have conversations with them, besides when it was in his best interest. He didn’t hang around  _ anyone _ for that matter. Sasuke thought for a second. There was that pink-haired girl from the hospital who took a liking to him. She was nice enough, wasn’t she? And she was the only woman who had shown an interest in him that wasn’t completely annoying or just wanted to get him in bed.

“Fine,” Sasuke says under his breath, snatching the envelope off the table. 

“Have a safe trip back home, little brother,” Itachi yells as he waves his fingers at the door, Sasuke already slamming it in front of him.

* * *


	2. Balance

* * *

“Thanks for coming, have a nice day!” 

Naruto checks the clock. It’s just after seven o’clock, the perfect time to close early. He cleans up around the shop, turns out the lights, and locks the door behind him.

Naruto began working at the small record store about three years ago, the same one where he had that fateful encounter with Sasuke all that time ago. There was no one running the store anymore, and Naruto couldn’t just let it close down. Music was too important to him. That store was too important to him.

After about an hour’s walk, Naruto made it to the center of the village. The nightlife was so pretty, he couldn’t hide the wonder in his sapphire blue eyes. The shops were bustling with people and the food vendors released aromas that made Naruto’s mouth water. But he didn’t have time to stop. He was on a mission.

Naruto knocked on the door to the Hokage’s office and pushed it open after he was given the ‘okay’. A tall masked man with snow-white hair sat in the back of the room behind a large desk, stacked with papers. 

“Good to have you in, Naruto.” Kakashi greets the blonde with squinted eyes and a smile hidden behind his mask. 

“Hey, Kakashi! Did you call me in about more Hokage stuff?”

“Yes. This will be short, so don’t bother sitting down,” Kakashi begins. Naruto stands in front of the desk with his hands at his sides. “I need you to go to Suna and deliver this document to the Kazekage. It has an important message about our diplomatic relations to the other lands.”

“I get to see Gaara?” Naruto asks, failing to hide the delight on his face. 

“Yes, you will be meeting with him personally. And please, leave a good impression. We can’t be destroying our ties because of a knuckle-head future Hokage.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Naruto chuckles. “Gaara’s my friend. It’ll be  _ fine _ !”

“Furthermore, as of now, there is no time limit to your mission,” Kakashi adds. “So feel free to explore the Land of Wind and the surrounding areas as you wish.”

“Awesome! Thanks, Kakashi,” Naruto says excitedly. It takes everything in him to hold back from diving across the desk to give his old teacher a warm embrace. 

“Of course,” Kakashi responds coolly. “And pay the Kazekage my respects, will you?”

“You got it,” Naruto responds with a smile.

It was hard for Naruto to balance his job with his daily life. Training to be the next Hokage was a lot of work, more than he could have anticipated. There were meetings, errands, and a whole lot of reading to do before he was ready to lead anyone. And Naruto  _ hates _ reading. But this is his dream. It always has been. And the Hokage always gets to meet new people. Having grown up with no one, that was Naruto’s favorite thing in the world. It always intrigued him to be able to see people from all over the world, from different lands. And maybe, if even just a sliver of a possibility, he’ll be able to see  _ him _ again.

Naruto had changed quite a bit over the last three years, although more mentally than physically. He is way more mature and responsible since he started making his dream a reality, and he started taking care of himself a little more. He no longer eats purely ramen, and invites more fruits and vegetables into his diet. This in turn caused his body to change somewhat, as he began to lean out and his muscles became more toned. Besides playing the guitar, Naruto delved into a new hobby, running. Naruto found that it was a very relaxing sport, where he could just run away from anything that was bothering him. And there has been a lot on his mind these days.

Naruto jogged home through the chilled night air, mind empty, ignoring his wandering thoughts. Beads of sweat dripped down his temples and soaked through his t-shirt. He ran up the steps to his apartment door, surprised to see a familiar face at the door. They were looking down at the floor, with two bags clutched in both hands.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Naruto questioned the visitor, with a bright smile on his face.

“Hi, Naruto.” A dark-haired girl with silver eyes looked up to Naruto as she hid the bags behind her back.

“Hey, what are you hiding back there?” Naruto asked while leaning in closer to peek behind the girl. She turned her head to the side in embarrassment at his close proximity, but Naruto wouldn’t allow this. He gently grabbed her chin and turned her head to his, planting a passionate kiss on her soft lips. While she was distracted, he reached for the bags and grabbed them from her hands. “Ah, it looks like ingredients. Are you cooking for me tonight, Hinata?” Naruto asked with a smirk.

“Y-Yes,” she mumbles as her face flushes pink. “I thought you would need a nice meal before you head off to Suna tomorrow.”

“Sounds great,” Naruto says, opening the door and inviting the girl in.

Hinata maneuvers her way around Naruto’s kitchen, his small home filling with the smells of a traditional Japanese dinner. He smiles to himself at the familiarity of having the woman at his place. Hinata is the same age as Naruto, and he met her about a year and a half ago during one of his training duties. He was instructed by Kakashi to meet with the head of the Hyuga clan, and he happened to meet his daughter in their garden. Naruto could remember the way his heart stopped for several seconds upon seeing how beautiful she looked. She was so shy that it made it hard for Naruto to talk to her, but she is one of the nicest human beings he has ever met. 

Naruto couldn’t tell you how he would put a label on their relationship. He knows that he likes the girl and that he is attracted to her. But something always feels like it is missing. He guesses that their relationship is more casual than anything, but he does deeply care for her. She is the only one who has treated him like this, and it’s good to feel wanted.

Naruto had also spent the last few years figuring out who he is and feeling comfortable with himself. And that includes his sexuality. It never was a touchy subject or anything for him, he just never had talked about it before. He had initially only had an attraction to women, as indicated by his infatuation with Sakura when they were kids. But as he grew older, gender didn’t really mean much anymore. Thinking back on it, it all started with  _ him _ . Sasuke was never the emotional type, but Naruto felt like he connected to Sasuke in a way that he hadn’t connected with anyone before. It was innocent at first, like the feelings that you think you can just shake away. But his obsession became more deep-rooted and dangerous the more that they grew together. Naruto realized that he would do  _ anything _ for that man, and that was a scary feeling.

Naruto sat across from Hinata at the table, explaining the details of the mission as they finished their meal.

“I’m glad you get to see Gaara again,” Hinata says, finishing off her tea.

“I know, I miss talking to him,” Naruto replies, as he starts to clean off the table.

“Since you have all that extra time,” Hinata starts, rising to join him in the kitchen. “Do you think you’ll travel to the Land of Iron?”

Naruto almost drops the stacked plates in his hands. He looks at Hinata, but her eyes are trained on the dishes, soaking them in the sink. 

“Um, I think it’s a little too far,” Naruto answers, keeping the response purely factual, avoiding the obvious. “I think it’s more practical to stay in the middle ground between our two lands, like the Land of Rivers or something. Just in case I need to be back sooner, ya know?”

Hinata doesn’t look at Naruto, she only nods her head. 

“And there’s not much to see up there anyway,” Naruto says nervously, further rationalizing his decision.

“I understand,” Hinata says, calmly. Her soft eyes lock onto Naruto’s. “I just thought you might want to see him while you have the opportunity. I know he’s important to you.”

Of course, Hinata had to bring up the elephant in the room. This is just making it so much worse. Naruto never went into much detail about Sasuke with Hinata, but she knew enough to know the impact that his best friend had on his life.

“He’ll come back when he’s ready,” Naruto shrugged it off with a simple statement. It was easy to tell he was trying to convince himself more than Hinata.

The next morning, Naruto awoke bright and early and packed up his bag. He didn’t need much for this trip since Suna would provide lodging for at least the first few days. He locked the door behind him and walked down the path towards the gates of Konoha. The morning air sent a chill down his spine. His stomach was in knots, the little butterflies doing flips inside of him. Naruto didn’t know if it was the excitement of being able to see his old friend again, or unease about the journey ahead of him. Naruto didn’t have time to worry about anything. His life was only about to get more hectic, and this is his one chance for some kind of relaxation. 

Naruto approached the gate and found both Hinata and his close friend Sakura waiting to send him off. Both girls’ faces showed beaming smiles as he grew closer. 

“Thanks for coming to send me off,” Naruto begins. “But I’m only going to see Gaara.”

“I know, but it’s still dangerous for you to travel by yourself, idiot,” the pink-haired girl says while rolling her eyes.

“I’m glad you care,” Naruto responds, laughing as he gives Sakura a hug. 

“Be safe, Naruto,” Hinata says firmly, her gaze meeting his. Naruto releases Sakura and tightly squeezes Hinata in her own embrace. “I’ll miss you,” she says, barely above a whisper.

Naruto pulls back and places a gentle kiss on her forehead. “You too,” he says with a cheeky grin. He turns and walks out of Konoha, giving both girls a wave until they are out of sight.

* * *


End file.
